| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Felicitas |
| Builder | James Macrae, Chittagong [1] |
| Launched | 1818 |
| Fate | Wrecked 5 December 1827 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 39535⁄94, [1] or 400, [2] or 425 [3] (bm) |
| Length | 105 ft 3 in (32.1 m) [1] |
| Beam | 29 ft 11 in (9.12 m) [1] |
Felicitas was a merchantman, trading in the Indian Ocean. She was launched at Chittagong in 1818. She was registered at Calcutta and made one voyage to Great Britain. She was wrecked at Madras in December 1827.
In 1813 the East India Company had lost its monopoly on the trade between India and Britain, and private British ships were then free to sail between India or the Indian Ocean and Great Britain under a license from the EIC. [4]
In 1819 her master was J.A.de Coil and her managing owner was Cruttenden & Co. [2]
On 26 October 1823, with P Campbell now master, Felicitas sailed from Bengal for Mauritius and Gibraltar. [5] On 14 December she was at Mauritius and on 5 March 1824 she was at Saint Helena. She sailed for London on 9 March, arriving at Portsmouth on 8 June, and departing for London on the 10th. She arrived at Gravesend on 14 June.
In 1824 P.Campbell was her master and managing owner. [6]
On 9 September Felicitas, began the return voyage from London for Calcutta. [7] She arrived at Bengal on 9 February 1825. On 10 March she sailed for Madras and Bencoolen. On 29 March she sailed from Madras to Penang.
In 1827 her master was P. Campbell, and Alexander & Co. were her managing owners. [3]
On 5 December 1827 a gale or hurricane drove Felicitas ashore at Madras and she became a total loss. [8] [1] Felicitas was wrecked about seven miles south of Covelong. Several other British ships were lost at the same time. The masters were all ashore at the time and casualties among their crews were few. [9]
Citations
References
Albion was a sailing ship of two decks and three masts, built at Bristol, England, and launched in 1813. She made three voyages transporting convicts to Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. She also traded with Jamaica, India, and Quebec. For two of the voyages to India she was an "extra" ship to the British East India Company (EIC).
Dunvegan Castle was a merchant ship built at Chittagong in 1819. She made two voyages transporting convicts from England and Ireland to Australia. She also transported troops at least twice, once to Burma (1824) and once to Spain (1835). She was lost in 1837.
Grenada was a merchant ship built at Kingston upon Hull, England in 1810. She made four voyages transporting convicts from England to Australia. In 1827, while returning to England from Australia via Batavia, she arrived at Mauritius in a damaged state and was condemned.
Claudine was launched at Calcutta in 1811. She made two voyages transporting convicts, one to Van Diemen's Land in 1821 and one to New South Wales in 1829. In between, she made one voyage under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). Her captain deliberately grounded her in November 1840 to survive a storm, but she was able to return to service. She was broken up in 1849.
Kingston was launched at Bristol in 1811. She traded between Bristol and Jamaica until her owners sold her in 1818. She then made two voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). Afterwards she continued trading with India, and then with Quebec. She was wrecked in 1833.
Moira, was launched at Calcutta in 1813. Between 1820 and 1834 she made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) under voyage charters, and transported troops to Burma in 1824. She was lost in 1844.
Caesar was launched in 1825 on the Thames River. She sailed between England and the East Indies under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). In 1832-33 she made one voyage under charter to the EIC). Later in 1833 she again sailed to India and wrecked.
Huddart was launched in 1803 as an East Indiaman. She made eight voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1803 and 1818. In 1810-1811 she participated as a transport in two British military campaigns. In 1818 new owners deployed her in sailing to Canada. She was wrecked there in 1821.
Aurora was built at Chittagong in 1816. She made one voyage transporting convicts to New South Wales in 1833, and a second transporting convicts to Tasmania in 1835. In 1839 she carried immigrants to New Zealand for the New Zealand Company. She was wrecked in 1840.
Aurora was launched in 1790 at Calcutta. The first 10 years of her career are currently obscure. In 1801 she made a voyage to England for the British East India Company (EIC), and then was briefly registered in England. She returned to India to continue to sail as a "country ship" until she was sold to Portuguese or Spanish owners in 1811. She returned to British ownership circa 1816 and made a second voyage for the EIC, this time from China to England. She returned to English registry and made one voyage to India under a license from the EIC. She then switched to sailing between Liverpool and Quebec and was lost in the Atlantic around 1822.
Barrosa was launched in 1811 at Cossipore. She sailed to England and then made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC); during this period she also made one voyage carrying immigrants to South Africa. After the EIC gave up its maritime activities in 1833-1834, Barossa became a transport. She made three voyages transporting convicts to Australia. She was lost in 1847, without loss of life, while transporting contract labourers from Madras to Jamaica.
Busiris was launched at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1814 as a West Indiaman. She made one voyage as an East Indiaman and then returned to the West Indies trade. She was wrecked in May 1826.
East Indian was launched at Calcutta in 1815. She remained a country ship, that is, a British vessel trading east of the Cape of Good Hope, until 1819. In 1819 she apparently sailed to England and may briefly have assumed British registry. By 1824 she had returned to Calcutta registry. She was wrecked in 1826 near Saugor.
Security was launched at Nova Scotia in 1824. She sailed to England and then traded with Australia and India. She was wrecked in December 1827.
Lady Lushington was launched in 1808. Then in 1809 the British East India Company (EIC) chartered her. She made four voyages to India for the EIC and several others while under a license from the EIC. She was on a voyage to India under a license from the EIC when she was wrecked on 10 August 1821.
Indian Oak was launched at Cochin, probably in 1813. She then traded between India and Britain. From circa 1824 she operated as a "country ship" trading primarily in the Indian Ocean. Notable events included arson by the crew, a dispute between her master and the government of Mauritius, transport of 200 labourers from Bengal to Mauritius, and mutiny that resulted in the cutting and maiming of her master. She was wrecked in August 1840 after having delivered troops to Chusan for the First Opium War.
Gilwell was launched in 1801 at Howrah, Calcutta as a "country ship", that is, she traded east of the Cape of Good Hope. She made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC). In 1804 she was present but not engaged at the Battle of Pulo Aura. The French captured her in 1805 and 1807. She was renamed Fyzal Curreem and eventually Cashmere Merchant. As Cashmere Merchant she reappeared in 1827 in records of vessels registered at Calcutta. She was reported in 1842 as having been damaged in a typhoon at Calcutta. Last mentioned as dismasted at Mauritius prior to 13 April 1843.
Cornwall was launched at Calcutta in 1810. She participated as a transport in two military campaigns some 40 plus years apart. In between, she made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), carried assisted immigrants from England to Sydney, and transported convicts to Tasmania. She was wrecked at Mauritius in July 1858.
Castle Huntly was launched at Calcutta in 1812. She then made 11 voyages for the British East India Company (as an Indiaman. After the EIC ceased its shipping business in 1833, new owners continued to sail her between the United Kingdom and China until October 1845 when she was wrecked in the South China Sea.
Glaphyra was launched at Calcutta in 1814. She came to England in 1821 and thereafter sailed as a West Indiaman. She was wrecked on 19 June 1854.